The taxi-hailing app Mytaxi is offering free training to London cabbies to deal with health-related emergencies. The “Knowledge+” training course covers acid attacks, terrorist incidents, including first aid techniques and CPR, plus how to use a defibrillator. Cab drivers are given advice on basic psychology, like body language and de-escalating aggressive behaviour, or handling a crisis.<\/p>\n
The course is promoted as a progression of “The Knowledge”, with backing from Chris Philips (formerly head of National Counter-Terrorism Security Office) and first-aid charity St. John Ambulance. London has seen a rise in horrific acid attacks and a threat of a terrorist attack is constant. The new training aims to give taxi drivers both knowledge and confidence to become an emergency-responder, with the medical knowledge to help with sudden health-related issues, such as a heart attack, which may occur not only to passengers, but to pedestrians nearby too.<\/p>\n
National partnerships manager for St. John Ambulance, Michelle Kerrigan, said taxi drivers are usually first to be at the scene of an emergency and giving first-aid within the first crucial few minutes can make a difference between life and death. Mytaxi will, in addition to this, equip 50 black cabs, in the coming months, with first-aid kits.<\/p>\n